Miyabi Kaizen 9 1/2-Inch Chef's Knife

IMHO a great knife must balance well in your hand above all else, then have a blade that can take, hold and renew a good edge. If the balance is wrong, the blade will suffer as you manipulate it. A good balance in your hand means fewer trips to the steel and to my local pro sharpener. Stretched, my hand is exactly nine inches from thumbnail to the end of my pinky, and as a man of regular height and modest strength, the balance was perfect for me. Way better than the Forschner, F.Dick, Global, and Shun 10" knives in my collection. It has a smaller, rounder but longer handle than most, perhaps the source of the balance. The angle to the tip makes it better for slicing into product rather than rocking back on it (more like a Sabatier than an F.Dick or a Henckles). The blade was as sharp out of the box as anything I have ever bought, and my local pro is certified to keep it that way. I particularly like the finish of the top of the blade, which is rounded rather than squared off, since I keep my thumb and forefinger on the blade itself. I can just imagine the callous at the base of my forefinger dissolving into nothing! Miyabi has a bunch of other models out there, and the blades all seem terrific. But the balance on them varies. If you order one, run through a bag of carrots before you decide if it feels right. If not, send it back and try another.

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